As a lifestyle expert with a deep passion for cinema and a rich background in film criticism, I must say that the selection of Santosh as the United Kingdom’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars 2025 is an exciting development in the world of global filmmaking. Having had the privilege to attend prestigious film festivals like Cannes and witness the raw talent that emerges from various corners of the globe, I can confidently say that Santosh stands out as a promising contender in this competitive landscape.
Following Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies being selected as India’s nomination for the 97th Academy Awards, another Hindi-language film, Sandhya Suri’s critically praised police procedural drama titled Santosh, has been chosen by the UK to represent them in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars 2025.
Santosh, featuring Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar, has been chosen by BAFTA, an organisation designated by the British Academy to represent the UK’s submission. According to Variety, this decision might put some extra strain on the Santosh team, as the U.K. recently won its first International Feature Oscar this year with Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest.
As an over-the-moon fan, I’ve got to share some exciting news! The criteria for this category was simple: A British film needed to primarily use a language other than English, and it had to premiere in theaters outside the US within the timeframe of November 1st, 2023, to September 30th, 2024. Guess what? The mind-blowing movie “Santosh” fits the bill perfectly! This masterpiece even graced the screen at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section. It marks the directorial debut of the incredibly talented Suri, who has previously crafted documentaries like “I for India” and “Around India with a Movie Camera.” Can’t wait to see more from this promising filmmaker!
In a rural area of northern India, the story unfolds around Santosh, a widow who inherits her deceased husband’s position as a police constable. A chilling event occurs when an underage girl from a lower caste is tragically murdered. Santosh becomes involved in the investigation due to the influence of an inspiring female inspector. This gripping mystery features Sanjay Bishnoi, Kushal Dubey, Nawal Shukla, and Pratibha Awasthi in pivotal roles.
As a dedicated follower, I’d like to clarify my eligibility for selection in the UK. It all stemmed from the fact that the movie had a broad release there, making it an international co-production primarily of the United Kingdom, India, Germany, and France. The film was financed by Mike Goodridge, James Bowsher, Balthazar de Ganay, and Alan McAlex, with Ama Ampadu, Eva Yates, Diarmid Scrimshaw, Lucia Haslauer, and Martin Gerhard serving as executive producers.
Santosh received joint funding from Good Chaos, Razor Film Produktion, Haut et Court, BBC Film, and BFI. The music score was created by Luisa Gerstein, with Lennert Hillege handling the cinematography and Maxime Pozzi-Garcia responsible for editing.
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2024-09-26 08:52